Narrative:

On IFR flight plan from sfq to hef, potomac approach clears me down to 3000 ft to cross restr area 6608A, B, and C. I was expecting handoff to hef tower, but potomac approach xmissions ceased for about 30-60 seconds. Then he asked me if I was on his frequency (as if he had been trying to reach me, or had thought he had already handed me off to hef tower). Contact was established. He cleared me down to 2000 ft and then cleared me for a visual approach to hef, and then handed me off to hef tower. He did not say 'stay at 2000 ft' until I contacted hef tower. By that time, in spite of slowing down considerably, I was high and close to hef. When I switched to hef tower frequency, there was bedlam. Pilots were complaining about waiting 20 mins for clearance into the class D airspace, and I couldn't get a call in edgewise. I descended to 1400 ft and started to circle (out of the way) about 4 NM southeast of hef, all the time trying to call hef tower, but never getting an answer. Finally, tower said he wasn't allowing anyone else into the airspace, and not to request that. In the quiet that ensued, I called and said I was already in the airspace. He told me to call a 2 mi final to runway 34R. I did, and was cleared to land. The main problem here is that hef tower is overwhelmed on wkends, and can't accommodate the IFR and VFR demand. Because of the restricted areas 6608A&C to the south, and class B above and surrounding the airport, there is very constrained airspace. The only thing I will do differently next time is stay higher (about 2000 ft) as I circle to the southeast waiting to get in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT, IN THE CONFUSION OF VFR LNDG AT HEF FROM PCT APCH CTL, DSNDS INTO HEF CLASS D AIRSPACE, CIRCLING S OF ARPT UNTIL COM IS ESTABLISHED. PLT CONCERNED WITH AIRSPACE COMPRESSION IN THAT AREA.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM SFQ TO HEF, POTOMAC APCH CLRS ME DOWN TO 3000 FT TO CROSS RESTR AREA 6608A, B, AND C. I WAS EXPECTING HDOF TO HEF TWR, BUT POTOMAC APCH XMISSIONS CEASED FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS. THEN HE ASKED ME IF I WAS ON HIS FREQ (AS IF HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH ME, OR HAD THOUGHT HE HAD ALREADY HANDED ME OFF TO HEF TWR). CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. HE CLRED ME DOWN TO 2000 FT AND THEN CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO HEF, AND THEN HANDED ME OFF TO HEF TWR. HE DID NOT SAY 'STAY AT 2000 FT' UNTIL I CONTACTED HEF TWR. BY THAT TIME, IN SPITE OF SLOWING DOWN CONSIDERABLY, I WAS HIGH AND CLOSE TO HEF. WHEN I SWITCHED TO HEF TWR FREQ, THERE WAS BEDLAM. PLTS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT WAITING 20 MINS FOR CLRNC INTO THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND I COULDN'T GET A CALL IN EDGEWISE. I DSNDED TO 1400 FT AND STARTED TO CIRCLE (OUT OF THE WAY) ABOUT 4 NM SE OF HEF, ALL THE TIME TRYING TO CALL HEF TWR, BUT NEVER GETTING AN ANSWER. FINALLY, TWR SAID HE WASN'T ALLOWING ANYONE ELSE INTO THE AIRSPACE, AND NOT TO REQUEST THAT. IN THE QUIET THAT ENSUED, I CALLED AND SAID I WAS ALREADY IN THE AIRSPACE. HE TOLD ME TO CALL A 2 MI FINAL TO RWY 34R. I DID, AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. THE MAIN PROB HERE IS THAT HEF TWR IS OVERWHELMED ON WKENDS, AND CAN'T ACCOMMODATE THE IFR AND VFR DEMAND. BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTED AREAS 6608A&C TO THE S, AND CLASS B ABOVE AND SURROUNDING THE ARPT, THERE IS VERY CONSTRAINED AIRSPACE. THE ONLY THING I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME IS STAY HIGHER (ABOUT 2000 FT) AS I CIRCLE TO THE SE WAITING TO GET IN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.